Main nav

Hello Spring! Strippy Pillow Tutorial

March 29, 2012

Hey All – There’s been some issues accessing my tutorial via Moda so I’ve posted it on my blog, below. Also, if you’re interested you can check out my original Strippy Pillow post that I made back in July using a different fabric line by clicking HERE. It’s the same design but I made a diagonal cut in it – after I had made the cut I decided I liked it better without it. :-p Have fun!

Step 1 – Take eleven strips and press each one lengthwise with an iron. Then cut each strip in half. This will give you twenty-two strips that are about 20 inches long each and 1.25 inches wide. Of these twenty-two strips, choose twenty-one for your pillow. From your lining fabric, cut a 16.5 inch square.

Step 2 – As shown below, take one strip and line the pressed seam along the bottom of the 16.5 inch square lining. Pin to keep in place. Using a 1/4 inch seam allowance, sew along the non-pressed side to attach the strip to the lining (the pressed seam should be facing the edge of the 16.5 inch square lining, as shown below).

After you’ve sewn the first strip on, mark 3/4 inches starting from the top of the non-pressed side of the strip. Continue marking 3/4 inches all the way up the lining. Click image below to enlarge.

Step 3 – Sew the remaining twenty strips (that you cut from step 1) onto the lining. Simply line the non-pressed side along the 3/4 inch mark you made in the previous step, pin to keep in place, and then sew using a 1/4 inch seam allowance.

Step 4 – After you’ve sewn all twenty-one strips onto the lining, flip it over and trim the ends using a ruler and rotary cutter so the strips are flush with the lining.

(Note: Save the scraps! Check out this post to see what I did with them)

Along the length, turn the edge 1/4 inch under, press, then turn under 1 inch, then press again. Stitch to keep in place as shown below.

Step 6 – With right sides facing together, take one backing rectangle and line it along the left side of your pillow cover. The finished seam you created from the previous step should be facing toward the right. Pin to keep in place, then sew along the perimeter (as shown by the dashed line below) except where the seam is. Start and end your stitch with a back-stitch.

Repeat, but on the right side instead.

Lastly, turn right side out through the opening and that’s it! Let me know if you have any questions. 🙂 Happy Quilting!

Just finished mine and it turned out so cute! All I had was a 14 X 14 pillow form, so had to tweak the measurements a bit, but it came out perfect. Your tutorial was excellent and easy to follow.. thanks again Jera! 🙂

Sorry, I deleted my original comment because I thought I had figured out my problem. I redid my math and checked my measurements and I again, can't figure out where I went wrong. Once I had everything sewn together, The top raw edge from the last (top) strip was showing. The only way I can figure to fix it is to make my seam allowance larger when sewing on the backing which would make the pillow less than 16 x 16. Any idea what I am doing wrong? When I marked all of my 3/4' lines across the base I had 1/4" left at the top which it doesn't look like you had but when doing the math this seems correct.

I saw one of your pillows made up at a quilt show in Columbia Falls, Montana. It was darling. I want to make some to match a bed runner I hope to make in the near future. Thank you for graciously sharing your design and talent. Jackie

Thanks for the tutorial – I've just adapted it slightly and made my own cushion as a part of my 52 weeks: 52 crafts project, where I make and auction one new item every week to raise funds for Macmillan Cancer Support (a cancer charity in the UK) – please have a look at my blog to see how it turned out and spread the word. many thanks, x

I've also got a 1/4 strip left at the top and I don't think your math is wrong. Just found another tutorial for the same cushion and it says to start 1 1/4 inch from the bottom which would eliminate that top 1/4 when you reach the top.

I am making these for Christmas Gifts….what brand of pillow form did you get. I have looked a couple and they just don't seem very firm! I want the pillow to be "poofy" Thanks. I just love how easy these are to make!

I just made this pillow and it turned out beautiful. I did not use jelly strips, in fact I did not know what they were, but figured it out. I just cut strips of fabric to the same dimensions. You said to cut the strips in half, didn't you mean to fold the strips in half to make the pleat 1 and quarter inches not cut it in half? Loved the way it turned out.

The way I see it…fold 2 1/2" jelly roll strips in half LENGTHWISE and press…or cut your own 2 1/2" fabric strips the width of fabric and fold in half LENGTHWISE and press. CUT each pressed strip in half CROSSWISE to make 2-1 1/4" strips from each pressed strip. Hope this helps.

Just made two of these pillows for my bed, using a bed skirt that I wasn't going to use that came with a bedding set. Cut 2 1/2 x 20 inch strips and made them all one color (gray). They turned out beautifully and look like designer pillows! Thank you for the tutorial!

Finished mine and I sewed the first row with the blades down, the second one with the blades up and so on, looks spectacular! Nice invisible zip with my new invisible zipper foot and went well so thrilled, so will my friend be! Thank you for the tuition! xx

I made mine and put an invisible zip down the bottom, had a bit of trouble trying to curl the last strip around it but it sort of worked! I also overlocked (serged) the strips as they were very thready and I thought it would get worse with the kids throwing them at each other! Looks cute and shame I can’t post a photo!
P>S Saw the pillow at a quilt show and figured it out myself, so you are clever like me, hahaha

Jera, This pillow is lovely and your instructions for it are easy to follow! What a great use for left-over (or not) jelly roll strips! But we are left hanging with the scraps, as noted above (see post by A on 5/2/16). Realizing that it’s been 4 years since you put up this tutorial, can you correct the link to what to do with the scraps, as right now it just loops back to this tutorial, or redirect those of us who would like to use the scraps for another project? Thanks in advance!

I was lucky enough to get your pattern off MBS before it disappeared years ago! I made two matching pillow shams out of modern grays & citron fabrics & they turned out beautiful. Thanks so much for sharing!

Following my recent trip to the US and purchasing some Jelly Rolls having seen a cushion in a shop similar to the one above, I have returned to the UK and thought I would introduce this design to our Sewing Club. Unfortunately we are having trouble finding Jelly Rolls. There are a few around but very expensive. I cannot believe that shops are not selling them. I am sure fabric shops must have odd amounts at the end of a roll to cut for Jelly Rolls. I am really pleased with my cushion cover and hope the Sewing Club will be too.

[…] we think we might have found just the pattern for you! This adorably layered throw pillow from Quilting in The Rain intentionally uses bright colours and loud patterns of all times to create a super interesting […]

Hello!

My name is Jera Brandvig and I'm from the rainy city of Seattle. I am a quilter, author and fabric designer but first, I am a proud mother to two beautiful boys (& a furry little girl named Paige!). Click me to read more. Thank you for stopping by! ;)